Okurimono
by Vainilla Clide
Summary: People asked her what she wanted for her birthday, but she already had everything she could ever need. Natsu had brought her to the guild, and gave her a new family. He gave her the one thing she had missed every single day since her mother passed away. Love. [Nalu Week 2014 - Day 1: Gifts] Spoilers Manga chapter 324.


**Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail, its characters and stories.**

**1.- Okurimono**

_Gift: something given freely, for no recompense._

_Okurimono: japanesse word for gift or present (if google translator is correct)._

She remembered her mother used to tell her that any day she woke up with a smile on her face would be a good day. The thought just popped into her mind as she slowly opened her eyes to the new day, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, before quickly closing them again. Too much light. She could have sworn she left the curtains closed. Oh, well.

She tried to remember what had she been dreaming for her to wake up in such state of happiness. Something about the guild, and pink hair. Just when she thought she started to remember things more precisely, images faded her mind like water scurrying through her fingers. She sighed. Lately she would be having these dreams from which she would wake up feeling in a complete bliss. Only problem, she never could recall them, just that she had been at the guild and the color pink. Pink usually always made an appearance in her dreams.

She was about to roll on the bed and see if she could get to sleep once more, try and return to that dream she was having, but a body obstructed the way. She opened her eyes to see her pink-haired teammate occupying almost the entire bed. His way of sleeping, sprawled across the bed, although one arm always in close contact with her, never ceased to amaze her. Yes, amaze. Some of his limbs were in positions that should have been impossible for a human being.

She would have pushed him out of bed by now would she not have been used to it. Maybe the first few times, more like the first _several_ times, she had done exactly that: pushed him out of the bed and scream until he left her apartment. Through the window, of course. As time passed she started to get used to it. In fact, the mornings when she woke up alone she would be in a bad mood until she got to the guild and saw him and that fur ball he called his friend. Both devils, always trying to pull some prank on her or making a mess out of her apartment.

Who was she kidding, she adored them both.

Ever since she met them, ever since they brought her to the guild, her life had been nothing more than perfect. Okay, it had had its ups and downs, but she had loved every single moment she spent with them and everyone else. With Erza, Gray and Wendy, with Juvia, Levy-chan, the Strauss siblings,... And of course, every single moment she spent with him, with this pink-haired idiot she had for a teammate. With Natsu. And last night,...

There used to be a time in which she would tell herself that she didn't like him that way, that Mira was just making up things and they were nothing more than teammates. Close friends, sure, but not a couple. It had taken her more than one awkward conversation with Erza and more than some time to accept that she was indeed in love with him, with her best friend, and that it wasn't a feeling that would go away any time soon.

She remembered when she came to the realization that she hadn't been able to look at Natsu in the eye for a whole week with how embarrassed she was. How was she supposed to act around him now that she knew she was _in love_ with him? Or course she always knew she loved him, but _this_, this was completely new and she didn't know what to do.

Sure enough, Natsu found a way to crack the shell she had hid away in. Just a prank gone wrong, her kitchen burned, and she was yelling for him to get the hell out of her house, just for her to run after him right away and apologize for shouting at him. Indeed, as he had explained later when Lucy had calmed herself, he had only tried to cook something for her, and the kitchen burning had only been an accident. Yeah right. But she still forgave him, she always did.

Some point along the way she started to notice that Natsu hang out even more time with her, spent the night more often, and she couldn't help but think maybe he too was feeling the same as her.

Last night had been no different from previous ones, except for one thing. One thing that changed everything.

She had come home pretty late from the guild, Erza, Levy and Mira had been storming her with questions about what she wanted to do for her birthday and what things could they get her as presents. She had insisted that she only wanted to see everyone at the guild, maybe a small party - although knowing Mira and the guild, no party would ever be _small_-. She said clearly she wanted no gifts. It still hurt to think about the gifts his father had sent her each year they had been trapped in Tenrou.

When she arrived home she had quickly changed into some pajamas and climbed to her bed, falling asleep in mere seconds. However, somewhere around three in the morning she had awakened to found Natsu climbing through the window with a sleeping Happy in his arms. As he laid him down on the bed, Lucy searched for the dragon slayer's face. He seemed to be avoiding her gaze.

"Hey Luce, can I spend the night?" he mumbled. He sounded tired. And his voice, even in Lucy's state of sleepiness she knew something was off.

"When have you ever asked before?" she said nearly snorting as she scooted towards one end of the bed, making room for him. He slowly made his way towards the bed and laid down.

"Thanks."

There it was again. His voice didn't sound right. This wasn't her Natsu, he was being too much careful, too much polite.

"Care to explain why you woke me up?" she ventured. She knew she had sounded harsh, but he had just woken her up at three in the morning. Some minutes passed, Natsu not even musing a word. She was starting to fall asleep when she heard him mumbling something.

"Can you repeat that? I didn't quite catch it." She asked as she incorporated from the bed, if not, she would surely doze off in no time. He did the same.

"...nightmare."

"..."

"I saw...I saw what happened in Crocus, in the Palace, again...Luce, you..." he choked, not able to say anything else. She tried reaching for him, to see his face, but he wouldn't look at her.

"Natsu, I am still here. It wasn't me. Hey, I'm here." This time when she reached for his chin he actually turned his head and looked at her. There were unshed tears in his eyes.

"But it was _you_. Maybe not you _you_, but just as Happy said, she was _Lucy_."

"How long have you been thinking about this?" she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Everyday. It just wouldn't leave my head. The nightmares..."Lucy cringed, nightmares, not nightmare. It had happened before. "...they won't stop. And now that_ that_ date is coming, it's even worse. Normally Happy would keep me company, but I didn't want to wake him up. Besides, your bed always helps." he flashed her a not entirely authentic smile, and started caressing Happy, as if to distract himself with something.

She went again for his face, and caressing some bangs away from his eyes. He stopped her hand when she touched his cheek and leaned into it. Lucy would think this wasn't happening wouldn't she know for a fact that Natsu's tears were real. She remembered some nightmares she had had when they returned from Crocus. She had read her future self's diary, and she knew that she, the other Lucy, had seen Natsu die, and she had imagined over and over again how that could have been. However, she couldn't really imagine how that must have been, she wasn't there. Natsu had been there when _that_ had happened. Not even the guild had known about that, only Master Makarov have been informed.

"Hey Luce,..."he said, his voice no louder than a sigh. "Promise me I won't have to see that again. Promise me I won't have to see you die in front of my eyes again, I don't think I could handle it." He was still rubbing Happy, who mumbled something in his sleep then quieted again.

"Natsu I..."as much as she wanted to promise him. she couldn't know what would happen in the future. They were mages. Jobs could either turn out well or not. It wasn't an easy life if you really wanted to help people. "I can't promise you that." He stopped petting Happy and looked at her. His eyes frightened, making him look much younger than he was. He was about to speak when she pressed a finger to his lips and silenced him. "I can't promise you that" she repeated,"I don't know what could happen in the future, and neither can you. Maybe Cana would be able to... I'm getting out of track. I can't promise you that you won't see me die in front of you. However, I can promise that I will do my best for that not to happen. That I would try and stay with you, with the guild, for as much time as I can. I love it here, I love you all. I..." she knew this wasn't the best moment to tell him what she felt, that Natsu only was seeking for comfort after a nightmare but...

"Luce, look at me." She did. And she saw something in his eyes she couldn't really place, and just as she was about to ask what was wrong he crushed his lips onto hers. At first she didn't react, she couldn't. She froze the moment Natsu's lips touched hers. Before her brain could register what was happening her arms moved on their own accord and laced themselves around Natsu's neck, pulling him closer. His kiss was rough, one might consider it even desperate. And Lucy could feel the need Natsu had to confirm that she was there, that she was alive. As they were nearly going to run out of breath they broke the kiss, both panting, gasping for air. Natsu leaned his head onto hers and tried to look into her eyes.

"Luce?" She didn't answer. She liked the sound of that nickname rolling out of his tongue, calling for her, but there were too many things running through her mind at the time. And she wasn't sure she wanted to look into his eyes. Her arms unlaced themselves from his neck and she rested them on her lap, her fingers fidgeting, averting her eyes from Natsu. He must have noticed a change in her behaviour, because he stopped her hands from moving and tried to make her look at him.

"Lucy?" No answer still. "Luigi?" That made her laugh. She quickly covered her mouth with one hand. afraid that she could have woke Happy up with her laughter.

"Luce, please." Something in his voice made her get out of her spinning line of thoughts and she locked her eyes with his. He was still out of breath. But he was smiling, like, really smiling. That toothy grin she had grown to love and adore, and it was all for her. And...

"I love you" she surprised even herself. She wasn't planning on saying it. She didn't even think what she was saying. She just blurted it out. And now Natsu was looking at her with that shocked expression and not moving a muscle. Some time passed, Lucy fearing that she might have said too much too early. He had only kissed her once, for god's sake. When she was about to blurt out some apology he stopped her.

"I love you too" and he closed the gap between the two of them faster than Lucy had thought possible.

After that, Lucy didn't recall much else but Natsu repeating over and over again 'I love you' and 'Don't ever leave me', and them finally falling asleep.

The memory of her future self's diary played in her mind. Her words about loosing him, about having to watch him die, protecting her... Lucy knew she would have been devastated,... She didn't really want to think what would be of her life without her pink-haired teammate, without his smiles or jokes and even his antics,... And now that she knew he returned her feelings,...

People asked her what she wanted for her birthday, but she already had everything she could ever need. Natsu had brought her to the guild, and gave her a new family. He gave her the one thing she had missed every single day since her mother passed away. And he himself, his friendship and love, given freely, was the best gift she could ever think of. Her knight in shining armor, her best friend, the love of her life,...

She remembered he had brought Happy last night, he should have been somewhere around the bed, and in fact he was, coiled around one of Natsu's feet, sleeping peacefully. And so was Natsu, for once, however oddly it sounded, his snoring tuned down to just slightly loud breathing. She scooted closer towards him, turning to face him completely. Brushing away some strands of hair that obstructed his face, Lucy smiled to herself at how cute he really was when sleeping and closed her eyes, trying to get back to sleep. When she was just about to lose consciousness to sleep she felt Natsu move and embrace her. She stilled for a moment before relaxing into the embrace and snuggling her way into his chest finding a more comfortable spot. She felt his breathing somewhere close to her ear and muffled a giggle. It tickled.

"Go back to sleep Luce, it's early." She heard Natsu whisper in her ear.

"So you were awake. I wondered how was it possible for you not to be snoring this early in the morning." He chuckled, without even opening his eyes.

"You woke me up when you decided to use me as a pillow. Besides,..." He leaned in closer, and whispering "I wanted to be the first to say 'Happy Birthday' to you." He flashed his toothy grin to her.

"So...?"

Still smiling, he opened his eyes and looked for hers, locking his gaze there. Then slowly leaned towards her and muttered "Happy Birthday, Luce." Before she could reply he kissed her, gentler now than how he had kissed her last night. They didn't have any rush. She leaned into him, and just as she was about to be out of breath he pulled away. He was now caressing some tresses away from her face.

"It's early. And I'm gonna go back to sleep. You should too."

Her heart still beating as if she had been running for a marathon, she nodded. Snuggling back into his chest she felt his arm strengthen its hold around her waist, and contentedly sighed, welcoming back sleep. Later on they would have to get up and start the day, go to the guild and see everyone else, Mira was adamant on that. But right now, she was going to get some more sleep and enjoy the calm and blissfulness she was feeling. Indeed a good day it was pointing out to be.

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**A.N.: Hi! Happy Nalu Week everyone! If you are reading this, thank you so much for reading until the end, I really really appreciate it ^^**

**And as I say in each and every one of my fics, sorry for any mistakes in grammar, tenses, expressions or idioms, English is not my first language. If you want to leave any comment or constructive criticism I would very much appreciate it, it helps me get better :)**

**Thank you so much for reading! :D**


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